Vic changes to Melbourne over the years

[Stats Man]

what changes have you noted for better and for worse to Melbourne over the years?

what do you lament and wish had stayed? like what buildings and things once stood which have now been replaced?

how has the culture changed?? How would you describe the changes in culture from the 90s..80s..and 70s...and before.


This stuff always interests me would lobe to hear everyone's thoughs

 

[mick7]

When I was a kid visiting relatives from the country in Lilydale/Croydon I was always having to go places with an elder cousin or my parents never allowed to skateboard anywhere by myself (unlike the country where we didn't even lock our car doors).

Nowadays when I visit it seems to have cleaned up a whole lot and looks nicer than I remember (some 10+ years ago).

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I think we’ve always had a pretty good pub and bar culture. Love chilling out, having a beer and talking s**t with my mates.

In terms of changes, it seems to becoming somewhat more exclusive and discriminatory, plenty of places that used to great are now manned by over-zealous security refusing entry to people based clearly on physical appearance. Of course they give the obligatory thinly veiled excuses, but they’re quite obvious.

There’s still plenty of places that are ok, but you do have to go looking at them, whereas it seemed they used to be everywhere. I dunno, venues just now seem to be able to be far more selective. Is there really that many more people who want to go out that they can afford to be so picky?

Or are venues not confident in what they offer, so they have to closely monitor the type of patronage to ensure it’s a place where beautiful people will be seen? Using the patronage as an unofficial marketing tool?

I’m usually ok to get in, and am always ok when with my gf, but sometimes you can struggle when you’re with a group of mates and want to have a beer after the footy for example.

Just the way it seems, and a bit of a shame imo. Part of society’s increasing obsession with image and appearance I guess.

 

[Dazb86]

The new building they are making right next to docklands looks horrendous.

 

[Collingwood 4 eternity]

I think we’ve always had a pretty good pub and bar culture. Love chilling out, having a beer and talking s**t with my mates.

In terms of changes, it seems to becoming somewhat more exclusive and discriminatory, plenty of places that used to great are now manned by over-zealous security refusing entry to people based clearly on physical appearance. Of course they give the obligatory thinly veiled excuses, but they’re quite obvious.

There’s still plenty of places that are ok, but you do have to go looking at them, whereas it seemed they used to be everywhere. I dunno, venues just now seem to be able to be far more selective. Is there really that many more people who want to go out that they can afford to be so picky?

Or are venues not confident in what they offer, so they have to closely monitor the type of patronage to ensure it’s a place where beautiful people will be seen? Using the patronage as an unofficial marketing tool?

I’m usually ok to get in, and am always ok when with my gf, but sometimes you can struggle when you’re with a group of mates and want to have a beer after the footy for example.

Just the way it seems, and a bit of a shame imo. Part of society’s increasing obsession with image and appearance I guess.

Reason is that they don't want "outsiders" witnessing their "beautiful people" partaking in the use of "snow" and other substances.

Fact

 

[Abaddon]

The new building they are making right next to docklands looks horrendous.

the apartment tower? or new NAB building? or both?

 

[jethro11]

The de-industrialisation of collingwood and abbotsford (where I grew up) has taken away a bit of it's charm and character. Although it's a bit cleaner and healthier now. Lygon St has gone downhill a bit too.

For a city like melbourne, they've done a pretty good job so far keeping our heritage and the charm of most places in the city.

 

[crackers57]

They've had a number of coaches and early draft picks but it doesn't seem to have led to on field success

 

[pepsi]

As a whole I like the changes that have been made from Fed Square all the way to the Olympic Park precinct. Actually the whole Olympic Park area has continued to improve with the new stadiums built. It is a great walk now from Flinders St to the 'G. Also like the increase of cuisine in and around Melbourne and the fact you can get food from just about any country in the world and it will be good quality.

 

[_Mike_]

I for one hate that they removed the old flinders street overpass for kings way. Traffic is a complete mess now and backs up to Bourke street. As usual, we can't get traffic lights synchronized.

Lots more traffic in the CBD, the build up of the Docklands area which parts of it sit on chemical waste dumps and is a ghost town.

 

[crackers57]

I for one hate that they removed the old flinders street overpass for kings way. Traffic is a complete mess now and backs up to Bourke street. As usual, we can't get raffia lights synchronized.

Lots more traffic in the CBD, the build up of the Docklands area which parts of it sit on chemical waste dumps and is a ghost town.

Yeah, and there's nowhere for the drunks to sleep after gassing up at the early openers*



* This may mean nothing to some young people

 

[_Mike_]

Yeah, and there's nowhere for the drunks to sleep after gassing up at the early openers*



* This may mean nothing to some young people

The old Megabar served us well on those Sunday mornings for the people that just didnt want to go home

 

[TheWeasle]

For a city like melbourne, they've done a pretty good job so far keeping our heritage and the charm of most places in the city.

Melbourne has nearly lost most of what made it "magnificant melburne" and what made it one of the last true remaining victorian/ornamental cities in the world.

In the late 60s and throughout the 70s greedy state govts and the melb council made sure they destroyed the first phase of this great era. Look at buildings like the ANA, The menzies and of course the federal palace. Have a look at what replaced these magnificent and important structures.

http://www.walkingmelbourne.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=396

have a look at that thread and a few others.

Fast forward 30 years and you would think this city would have learnt..but no. If developers had their way..old melbourne would be flattened and the whole city would look like Docklands, filled with cheap highrise apartment dwellings.

If only some of you knew what has been destroyed in this city.

 

[plough]

Melbourne has nearly lost most of what made it "magnificant melburne" and what made it one of the last true remaining victorian/ornamental cities in the world.

truly magnificant

 

[TheWeasle]

Saying that there are some developments over the years that have improved areas A LOT.

i'll start with the yarra near flinders st:

Waterfront promenade:

The heliport is still there..the rest isnt thank god:

This is where southbank is now..you would prob be standing on one of the many highrises today from this spot:

Down near spencer st and flinders st.. the future of that whole area:

 

[TheWeasle]

Next we move up flinders st and past swanston to what is fed square these days. Oldies will remember what was there previously but for kids/teenagers this is what was there before:

Typical International style building..look at that unused plaza. I remember when it became a hang out for thugs and louts before being knocked down. Still look at that dead space!

saying that the only time it was packed was when it was used for a major event..which was rarely:

Central Station records was based here for a while:

and where the info place is on fed square now 15 years ago it looked like this:

again most of the oldies here would remember it..but those young'ns this is what fed square used to look like.

Oh and the twin buildings that occupied the site..

What the hell were they thinking? But as someone mentioned to me..all they did is move these buildings down the road and renovated them into these:

 

[Stats Man]

That's awesome stuff mate...where did you find the photos??

I take it that area was a shopping/hangout area (for want of a better word)?

When did all the changes really take place?? Like....why would they get rid of all the historic buildings?


And how about the Olympic park area and Yarra park..didn't there used to b a footy oval (old scotch??) where they're building the new tennis courts? Was it a proper footy ground?

How bout Gosch's paddock - was it always a footy ground? Did it ever have stands or change rooms? Was the glasshouse/lexus centre open to the public at any stage?





And finally the MCG before renovations - what were the old stands n outdoor areas like? The old southern stand and Ponsford etc and also the outside area was there much space and has much parkland been sacrificed in the new redevelopments??

Cheers..some good posts to read So far

 

[rocker_oz33]

Great pics above in the first one the weather is this the same.

I've being going Melbourne ever since I was a young feller went to the RCH for a number of years.They have being doing the city up for a long time I would of thought it would be a nicer looking city by now.But not really knowing all that much about the city then I was to young.But always remember seeing cranes everywhere and big trucks around buildings and building being worked on.

 

[TheWeasle]

I have a load more if people are interested...i can go by area.
Next i will do a tour of the old southbank prior to the first stages of development in 1987.

Way before the first phase it was all industrial land and it was South Melbourne. Also where Allens Sweets had their fsactory up until 1986.

Where hammer hall is now there used to be a public fountain designed by Robin Boyd in 1957:

Prior to the first highrise called soutgate being built there used to be an ice ring there:

Where crown is these days:

Before the whole development it looked like this:

The other side where QBH is now and where crown is these days:

In this pic you can see the old sandridge bridge still being used..the st kilda line:

Aerial Shot of the area:

The old allens factory prior to being demolished..with the famous allens neon sign..sadly in the 80s we didnt care about things like preserving neon signs. The whole sign was dismantled and turned into scrap. The shame.

I wish this sign was still around..its hard to picture crossing the princess bridge and watching this big neon sign in action:

Heres a short vid on the sign:

[YOUTUBE]JKLQGpLFLfM[/YOUTUBE]

And this is what it looks like today...a definite improvement!

 

[TheWeasle]

Next we go back to swanston st and look at what used to be where the melbourne square is/was. A lot was torn down to make way for the square that was owed to melbourne people but never really took off.

Before the square there were a row of magnificent victoria era buildings:

Inside the old Queen Victoria Building:

Another angle of the future sqaure with the old victorian buildings:

After demolishing a great part of melbournes heritage the council didnt know what to do with it..so it looked like this for a period:

In the late 70s it was turned into this:

It even had the old yellow LED screen..which i think was moved to waverly maybe in the mid 80s.

That yellow sculpture now resides down near the malthouse theatre..just sitting there doing nothing but pleasing the traffic.

And these days the square has been reduced to nothing but a patch of dust..for occupy protesters to camp out in.

And a hotel was built and turned it into a city rectangle:

 

[rocker_oz33]

Again great pics really cool seeing the old victoria era buildings old cars etc.The old allens sign was kinda groovey.It would of been great keeping the old building the city could of been more like manchester or keeping most and building new ones around mixing the new with old like birmingham.

 

[Stats Man]

They are brilliant pics mate...loving it..if you have more it'd b terrific to see them cheers

 

[TheWeasle]

Ok i'll post more!

That's awesome stuff mate...where did you find the photos??

I take it that area was a shopping/hangout area (for want of a better word)?

When did all the changes really take place?? Like....why would they get rid of all the historic buildings?

The first buidlings were demolished prior to the 1956 Olympics. Prior to the olympics Melbourne was really self conscious at being seen as an outdated city left behind. So what did they do? They got rid of nearly all the magnificent awnings making the old buildings look flat. This ruined a lot of facades that relied on these awnings.

After the Olympics for the next 15 or so years in order to be seen as a progressive city they decided that Melbourne needed to be refreshed and to rid itself of the past. Cue Whelen the wrecker. During this period Melbourne lost a lot and gained little in terms of heritage.

This building used to be on the corner of Elizabeth and Collins St:

The above was replaced by this:

Sure at the time it would have maybe had some people chuffed at the progress the city was making in reality it was just another glass curtin box. 50 years later its as boxy as ever.

The remains of the building now sit outside Museum Victoria:

Lucky that Whelan the wrecker had a conscious and kept the remains in his yard for decades or else we would only have photographs.

Thats just one example.

And how about the Olympic park area and Yarra park..didn't there used to b a footy oval (old scotch??) where they're building the new tennis courts? Was it a proper footy ground?

How bout Gosch's paddock - was it always a footy ground? Did it ever have stands or change rooms? Was the glasshouse/lexus centre open to the public at any stage?

And finally the MCG before renovations - what were the old stands n outdoor areas like? The old southern stand and Ponsford etc and also the outside area was there much space and has much parkland been sacrificed in the new redevelopments??

Cheers..some good posts to read So far

That whole area was parkland and just had olympic park and the athletics park. Where the tennis centre is now used to be the main train yards. From the old pics i have seen of the area the yards were huge and there was an old large brick workshop for the trains. demolished to make way for the tennis centre.

Much of the MCGs outside remains the same.

Again great pics really cool seeing the old victoria era buildings old cars etc.The old allens sign was kinda groovey.It would of been great keeping the old building the city could of been more like manchester or keeping most and building new ones around mixing the new with old like birmingham.

They did try with keeping the facades but facadism runs the risk of mocking the original building and making it look like a movie set.

 

[TheWeasle]

Next we'll travel down to Latrobe Street and where Melbourne Central is now. This is where coops shot tower inside the crystal is for those outside of melbourne but have visited.

This was Melbourne Central in the late 50s early 60s. The streetscape was made up of small workshops and a small hotel. You can see the shot tower rising behind LaTrobe st left centre of image:

It remained this way until the mid 70s when the city loop was planned and the whole streetscape was demolished for the loop:

Museum Station swanston st entrance. Now Melbourne Central. The small street on the right is now a walkway that leads to MC with eateries on the side.

The LaTrobe St entrance with the old carpark:

The construction of Melbourne Central with the tower on the left:

MC in the 90s:

The balloons inside the cone (not there no more removed after the 2003 reno)

and MC in the late 2000s:

 

[nicko99]

Loving your work mate. Great insite. Got a history lesson on what the docklands precinct used to be?